The present invention relates to a bullet trap for receiving and containing projectiles, such as bullets, fired at the bullet trap.
In order to maintain their proficiency with various types of firearms, law enforcement officers and others routinely engage in target practice. For many years, target practice was conducted in environments in which there was little concern for recovering the bullets. Firing ranges commonly used a large mound of dirt to decelerate the bullet after it had passed through the target. Such a system was generally safe, in that the dirt was effective in stopping the bullet and preventing injuries. While the most common projectile at a firing range is a bullet, other projectiles, such as shot, can also be present.
Because of concerns about the lead contained in the bullet, release of the lead into the environment when a bullet fragments upon impact, firing ranges increasingly use bullet containment chambers to capture fired bullets and fragments thereof. Bullets may be recycled or otherwise disposed of in accordance with environmental regulations, thereby significantly reducing the risks of lead escaping into the environment. In addition, bullet containment chambers typically include an opening through which the bullet enters, a deceleration mechanism for slowing the bullet to a stop, and a container mechanism for holding the bullet until it is retrieved from the containment chamber. Either end of the containment chamber includes a sidewall which limits the lateral travel of the projectile. If a projectile impacts the side wall, it may ricochet or, if a high powered round, may puncture the side wall.
Examples of bullet containment chambers can be found in the following patent disclosures: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,535,662; 7,194,944; 7,775,526; 7,793,937; 7,275,748; 7,306,230; 7,653,979; 8,276,916; and 8,485,529. These containment systems utilize angled impact plates to decelerate bullets. Once the bullets are slowed sufficiently, they fall into a canister mounted below the containment chamber.
The above containment systems, however, suffer from a common problem—the repetitive impact of bullets transfers a significant amount of kinetic energy to the system, which causes structural fatigue, reduces the life of the components of the system and increases the expense of maintenance and repair.
Thus, there is a need for an improved bullet trap which minimizes structural fatigue, extends the life of the bullet trap system and reduces costs.